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UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in modern MMA. He made his UFC debut in 2018 and instantly cemented his place in the organization as a middleweight great, winning the championship in 2019.
Nicknamed 'The Last Stylebender', Adesanya grew up fighting bullies, breakdancing, and following anime.
'Izzy' recently moved up to the light heavyweight division to challenge its champion Jan Blachowicz but lost the fight. Up until then, he was unbeaten in his MMA career, having fended off greats like Anderson Silva. He will now defend his title against Marvin Vettori at UFC 263.
Before Israel Adesanya goes on to add to his marvelous legacy, let's take a look at some of his best finishes in the UFC:
#3 - Israel Adesanya vs. Rob Wilkinson
In his UFC debut against Rob Wilkinson, Israel Adesanya showed glimpses of a future champion. The first round started with 'Razor' Rob troubling Adesanya with a lot of takedowns. In the second round, however, Adesanya adjusted well and started actively defending takedowns.
'Izzy' got aggressive in a very calculative manner and did not lose control of the fight. As Rob Wilkinson started to get tired after 16 takedown attempts, Adesanya started slicing him up. He mixed it well with shots to the body, head, and knees to Wilkinson's head.
Rob Wilkinson did not seem to find an answer to Israel Adesanya's efficient striking. After being punished for the majority of round two, 'Razor' gave in and fell to the floor. 'The Last Stylebender' got the win via TKO, which he believed was only "so-so," as Jon Anik put it.
However, the transition from kicking to boxing from round one to round two displayed Adesanya's accomplished kickboxing IQ. It also sent a clear message to the UFC middleweights: a lethal striker has entered the division.
Watch his UFC debut below:
#2 - Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker
Israel Adesanya went up against undisputed UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 to unify the belts. 'Izzy' came into the fight as the interim champion, winning the belt against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236.
Adesanya displayed his truly superior fight IQ against 'The Reaper', avoiding most of the incoming strikes in the first round. 'Izzy' even knocked down Whittaker at the very last second of the round with a brilliantly timed counter right hook.
Robert Whittaker showed championship caliber in the second round as he adjusted well and put the pressure early onto Israel Adesanya. 'Bobby Knuckles' landed more strikes than the previous round but paid the price for getting inside Adesanya's range.
In an exchange in the fourth minute, 'The Last Stylebender' similarly landed another counter-right hook as before, sending the champion wobbling to the floor. A few follow-up strikes later, he became the undisputed UFC middleweight champion, picking up the fourteenth stoppage win of his career.
#1 - Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa
This was perhaps the most crucial challenge in Israel Adesanya's UFC career. At UFC 253, 'The Last Stylebender' was supposed to defend his title against another unbeaten opponent, with whom there was a lot of bad blood.
Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya talked a ton of smack in the lead-up to the fight, and many fans believed 'Borrachinha' to be Adesanya's ultimate test.
The fight started with both fighters being extra cautious before stepping in. As Israel Adesanya started throwing some vicious leg kicks, Paulo Costa kept replying with mocking gestures. 'Izzy' soon started firing on all cylinders and landed more than 20 leg kicks, rendering Costa's lead leg practically useless.
After getting picked apart and heavily outstruck by Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa finally decided to commit. However, 'The Last Stylebender' kept his calm in the exchange, slipped the Brazilian's lead jab, and landed a devastating counter-left hook. Costa dropped to the mat and was finished with a few more strikes, losing via TKO.
Israel Adesanya humiliated 'Borrachinha' further with a brazen act of disrespect as part of his celebration before breaking into a victory break-dance. The champion extended his undefeated streak to 20 while picking up the fifteenth stoppage win of his career.
